Bellice fic
by QuentinQuinn
Summary: It's cliche, but Alice returns during New Moon. Slow Burn and I don't own anything.
1. Chapter 1

Some shitty Bellice fic.

I know it's cliché , but this will be set during New Moon, Alice comes back.

I tried really hard to keep everyone in character. The respectful, centuries old creatures that they are.

The breeze came through the open window and moved her hair across her neck, but it went unnoticed. She was too far gone already, lying on top of her blankets , curled up and staring at the wall. Her eyes were red and swollen, but no more tears would come. It had been a week since they left. Picked up, and didn't look back at the human girl that could never be the same. She squeezed her eyes shut, and waited. Waited for sleep, for death, waiting for anything but this.

"What we did was best, for both her, and us." His family was sitting with him, listening respectfully, but he knew that they were still questioning his decision. Their thoughts were filled with doubt, anger, relief, and concern. "Please know the sacrifice you all made is not lost on me, I appreciate your support and understanding ." a few pairs of eyes glanced around, each trying to gauge each other's reaction. It was clear that he was trying to convince himself as much as them, that the right decision had been made.

The vision came to Alice right as Edward had finished speaking. The group sat silently as they contemplated their next move. There had been talk of splitting up for a while, and others wanted to just move to the next city. Alice closed her eyes as she tried to rid herself of the image of Bella's tear-stained cheeks. It had become almost habit at this point for her to hide thoughts from her brother, she was good at distracting herself with different things. Concentrating on her words, she spoke up.

"Edward, may I weigh in on this ?" He gave a respectful nod, and she continued. "First , I'd like to say that we all know how difficult this was for you, and we are trying our best to be supportive." There were a few nods around the table as she glanced at each of them. "Leaving has created an immense impact on a lot of people, all of us included, and I know that you've made your choice not to return." His lips tightened slightly, but he remained silent. "I would like to think what we did was in her best interests, however, I can't help but think that we kept her physically safe, but psychologically damaged." All eyes went to the man in question, who had a stern look on his face.

"She will recover." He looked at each of his family members, then down at the table. "My return would only damage her further." He glanced at Alice and she didn't try to block what she was thinking. He stared for a moment, listening to her reaction and ideas before he shook his head. "Do not go back. She's human, and she need to start living like a human. She could never have a normal life with any of us around." His voice was growing softer. "We turn her into a target. She shouldn't have to live her whole life in danger." He seemed to gather himself for a moment. "Besides, she's as bad for us as we are for her. I should have seen it before, she is only human, after all. "

Nobody dared to disagree verbally, which was good enough for him. Taking a glance at Alice's mind he found her trying to remember if she had given Bella her blue dress before leaving. He sighed and spoke once more. "I'm going to be taking some time away. Please do not try to contact me, I promise I'll return when I'm ready."

Esme couldn't hold her tongue upon hearing that. "Edward, please , let us help. You don't have to go through this without our support." She looked as if there were invisible tears springing to her eyes.

He shook his head , and they all knew he had made up his mind. While they exchanges hugs and kind words, Alice was waiting for her to be far enough from her brother to be able to think freely. He left shortly after to ready his car for the trip. After a few more minutes of planning, the rest of the family decided to go to Alaska while they planned their next move.

Through all the discussions and plans, Alice was unusually quiet, she couldn't get the image of sad brown eyes out of her head.

Bella sat staring at her computer screen, not truly seeing the words that were on it. It had been the same for the past month. Every message, every text, every email came back, unable to be delivered. She wished she could lie to herself, say that she was at least trying to live like she had before, but she knew it wasn't the truth. She missed them. Not just Edward, but all of them. She was embarrassed to think that maybe she missed Alice, her best friend, more than any of them. Whenever Edward was acting overprotective or they had a misunderstanding, Alice was there to talk and distract her. Now that she was alone, it was all she could think about.

She sighed and began her next email, it was the only thing keeping her sane.

Dear Alice,

Happy 1 month. I keep telling myself that it'll get better, I just need to give it one more day… But, It's never over after one more day. I feel like I'm in a spiral, there's no way for me to escape. I would give anything to go back and change that day, but that's not how it works. I miss you, more than anything, really.

Please don't forget me.

Bella

Without another thought she hit 'send' and turned to sit on her bed. There was a plate of burnt pasta that Charlie had tried to cook, she poked at it for a few minutes before looking back at her laptop. She had expected to see another delivery failure, but there wasn't anything. Shrugging it off, she crawled into bed, ready to stare at the wall until the nightmares came.

This was the final straw, she couldn't ignore her anymore. She saw the email filter through and read it before she could think twice.

To say she was heartbroken would be a gross understatement. She read it over 30 times before she leapt up and gathered a bag and some clothes (too many, if she were to be honest), and waited for Jasper to get home.

"Hey hun, are you going somewhere?" he asked ad he kissed her cheek, glancing at the suitcase on the floor.

"Yes, I can't imagine I'll be gone too long. It's just something I have to do." He looked at her and could tell immediately what she was planning.

"You know he'll be upset if he finds out."

She sighed, he didn't sound upset, she knew he would be understanding about it. "I can't just leave her like this, it doesn't feel right. She deserves better than a family running off in the middle of the night."

"And if Edward calls, wondering where you are?" he asked as he helped her cart her luggage to the car, she smiled at him, always the gentleman.

"Any ideas?"

He kissed her on the forehead. "Have fun shopping in Paris, my love." She smiled brightly and flung her arms around him.

"I'll call as soon as I get there."

"Don't worry about it, I'll probably bother Emmet for a trip down south. Be safe."

She hopped in her car, praying things worked out the way she wanted.


	2. Chapter 2

She stared at the girl through the window, while she sat outside in the rain. She had never seen anyone human that was able to sit so still for this long. She began to worry that something was seriously wrong. She could hear her heartbeat and short whispers, but something was off, she sounded only half-alive.

Alice had planned on ringing the bell when Bella got up, but after an evening of watching her lie there, she was worried she'd never get the chance. Her whispers were getting quieter so she gathered the courage and slipped out of the tree.

...

Seventy six.

There were seventy six floor boards between her bed and her door, she had counted it a dozen times. Yesterday she counted thirty stripes on the right side of her backpack. That had taken almost all night as she had started in the dark. There wasn't a single thing she could imagine that didn't send a tiny ache through her chest, so she counted.

"forty nine… fifty… fifty one…" She whispered in a monotone voice. She was curled up in the same position since day one, wrapping her arms around herself. She paused here, almost afraid to hear her voice break the white noise of raindrops on the roof. "fifty two… fifty three….. fifty four….." she was barely breathing the numbers now, she was fading fast and feeling herself slip into sleep.

"Fifty five."

Her eyes snapped open, she couldn't have dreamt that voice. It was too clear, too similar. It rang out in the silence like a firework. She was either losing it completely, or….

"Alice?" It was a whispered prayer. As she lay there feeling her heart swell, and her eyes fill with tears. She shut her eyes tight as sobs came over her body in waves. She knew she had lost her mind at this point. She refused to turn around, afraid of confirming her own insanity.

"Bella, my sweet Bella." She felt a weight behind her on the bed. She stiffened. Could this possibly be all in her head ? She didn't think she could be this detailed in her mind. That's when she felt a small hand rest on her arm. "Bella, I am so sorry I hurt you."

Slowly she turned her head to look at the weight behind her. "Alice?" She was in complete shock, this had to be real, it was too real. Almost in an instant she was sitting up with her arms around the small girl. "Alice, oh my god!" She felt cool arms wrap around her waist, squeezing her tightly.

"I've missed you, kid"

The girls held each other as the young human wept for what felt like an hour, until finally she regained some composure.

"Alice, what are you doing here ?" She asked in a stunned tone, trying to wipe away the tears that refused to stop. She could swear her heartbeat could be heard a mile away. She looked at the older girl, wondering if this was some sort of elaborate practical joke.

"I had to come see you. I didn't like the way he asked us to leave, packing up with no warning, no chance to say goodbye..."

Bella's heart went cold as she processed the words that had been said.

"So you've just come back to say 'goodbye', then " She tried, unsuccessfully, to not let her heartbreak sound through her question. She dropped her arms to her sides in an almost instinctual need to protect herself. She knew it was too good to be true, having her best friend back in her life, at least someone to make her feel a bit more sane.

By this time they were both sitting up, facing each other an arms length away. Alice shifted nervously, more out of habit than a real need to move.

"Well…" she began slowly, obviously being careful of which words she used. "Things obviously can't go back to what they were… Everyone knows we left, if I came back alone, it would bring too many questions." She had an apologetic look on her face.

"Oh. Okay." She whispered , feeling her heart sink. "How long can you stay, then ? Will you be here tomorrow?" She felt herself panicking , worried that this was the last time she'd see the other girl.

"Shhhh, I'll be here tomorrow, I promise." Her arms wrapped around the brunette. "I was going to stay a few weeks, actually. There's a few things I wasn't able to wrap up the weekend we left."

"Oh. Will I get to see you while you're here? "

"Of course! I'll have everything finished by Tuesday afternoon, afterwards I was just going to clean the old house. Who knows how much dust would have piled up by now? " She sounded like she was trying to keep Bella from getting too worried, but was more talking to herself near the end.

"All those windows must be a mess too." They both let out small breathy laughs before Bella gave a wide yawn.

"Okay, time for the human to sleep." She pressed the brunette down on the bed and pulled the blankets over her. The girl gave her a sleepy smile.

"I still can't believe it's you. "

"I'm hard to get rid of." She smiled sadly as she looked out the window onto the lightly frosted grass. She didn't know what she was doing here but she knew that by seeing Bella safe and in one piece, it seemed to quell the constant radio static – like noise that had taken over her mind. She felt like nothing had been calmer than in that moment.

"Will you be here in the morning?" The small whisper pulled her from her thoughts as her eyes caught the brown pair in the dark.

"Yes, I will be here when you wake up. I promise." She leaned down to lie next to the warm human.

"Okay" Bella smiled as she felt cold arms wrap around her while she fell into a needed, peaceful, sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

-Is our home still standing?- She smiled as she waited for the reply, she could almost hear his sigh through the screen.

-Yes dear, beds made, lemons squeezed, all awaiting your arrival-

-When would we need a bed or lemons?-

-I'm sure you'll find use for them, but you're distracting me, how's the human?-

-Just that… Human… It's surreal-

Jasper calling She felt guilty as she rejected the call, but quickly typed out a reply.

-She's asleep. In an hour or so I'm going hunting, I'll call you after.-

-Okay, say 'hi' to those bland deer for me-

-Talk to you soon. 3 –

She silently slipped her phone into her back pocket and looked at the peaceful face of her best friend, almost envying her ability to tune out the world and rest, really rest. If it wasn't for her swollen eyes, she could be the same girl that Alice remembered. She had seen so many girls having the same look on their faces after heartbreak, but seeing her like that filled Alice with an overwhelming amount of guilt.

"I'll be right back." She needlessly whispered at the sleeping form. She didn't see Bella waking up anytime soon, so unless a rogue dream came around, she was fine hunting and talking with her husband for an hour.

She shifted easily out the window and into the dark, misty, woods.

…

She always ran, but it was futile, because just as often, she was caught. This time she didn't run. She saw the dark fog approaching and she spread her arms wide, letting the cold feel of it seep into her bones. It felt as if she would never be warm again, she was freezing from the inside out, and she was allowing it to happen.

Just as she was about to lie down and surrender, she felt the heat. Glancing around she struggled to make out a small shape in the distance, but as it got closer she felt it even more. The heat was growing exponentially with every inch the figure moved. Soon, Bella was on fire. She could see the shape now, and it terrified her as much as it relieved her.

"Alice"

She called out her name as she felt her body being consumed by invisible flames.

"Alice please!" Her screams seemed to get lost in the fog.

"Please, Alice! Please help, Alice!" She was lost, burning to death in the dense mist.

"Alice!"

She bolted upright as if electrocuted, hearing the echo of her cry down the hall, and heavy footsteps coming from the same direction.

"Bells." Her door opened to reveal the worried face of her father, but Bella was too distracted looking wildly around the room for its previous occupant.

"Alice." She breathed, as she surveyed the empty room.

"Shhh, Bella. It was only a bad dream." Charlie sat near her and awkwardly patted her shoulder. "She's not here, Bells, none of them are here, you're okay" He gently laid her back down and stepped back. "Try to get some more sleep, I'll see you before I leave in the morning." He brushed some hair back from her face as he looked into the sad, tired, eyes of his daughter. He knew sending her to her mother would be an easy fix, but he wanted her to work this out in a healthy way, he didn't want her running off and unable to return for fear of being hurt again.

He sighed as he felt the weight of the past few weeks hit him, he was exhausted, but determined not to lose his only child. "I love you, Isabella, you'll get through this." With that, he left , shutting the door, praying that she would find the strength to pull through.

…

"She's so empty, and I feel like it's my fault. Sure, you all could have left, but someone should have stayed." She knew he could hear her unshed tears through the phone, but he was too polite to point it out. All she could see when she closed her eyes, were brown ones, wet and swollen from months of pain. She had to keep remembering, she wanted to feel like she could fathom the pain seen in those eyes, but right now the idea sounded unreachable.

"Sometimes, Alice, the smart decision isn't always the right decision. We tried to chose a safe future for her, but it wasn't our decision to make. Now, the consequences are more real, because you returning has validated her feelings of abandonment." He spoke slowly, treading lightly, trying not to say anything to further upset his wife.

"I didn't want to leave." She whispered, staring into the night.

"I know, my love, but I'm not the one who needs to hear that." She could never relate to how well he understood people.

"Have you considered being a therapist?" She joked, trying to force a smile into her voice.

"Oh, doll." He sighed, she could hear humor in his voice. "Between the two of you, I've got enough emotions on my plate."

"I don't recall emotions ever troubling you before." She smiled at her phone screen.

"Yeah, it's a gift." He grinned as her laugh came through the receiver. "Go back, love, and when she wakes up, just listen. She'll tell you more than if you go prying for it."

"Okay, I'll take your advice… But if things go wrong, I'm dropping your name in there. "

He let loose a throaty laugh and agreed. "Have a good night, call me tomorrow, okay?"

"Will, do." She could hear him relax as they said goodnight and ended the call.

…

She cried until her chest hurt and her eyes went dry, then sat up, numb once again, closed her window and lied down. She swore that the next day she would check into an institution, a hospital, anything, if it made her sane again. This time, seeing Alice in her room had felt so real, she knew her mind was gone. For the first time in months, she was out of tears, she closed her eyes and prayed for the end.

…

Alice put her phone away and began to find another herd of deer when suddenly she was hit with the image of a distraught Bella calling her name in an empty room. She froze and watched as Charlie left and Bella sat sobbing like never before.

Immediately she was running the miles back to her house, praying the whole way there.

"Please, Bella, I'm here." She forced her legs to move faster. "it wasn't a dream, I'm coming, please don't give up on me." She ran and almost broke through the window before stopping herself.

She gasped at the significance of it.

The window was closed.

Bella had given up.

...

 _A/N_

 _Thanks for all the support while I'm workking on this fic, your reviews really keep me motivated. Shoutout to Cloud Auditore Fair, I appreciate your enthusiasm and hope I don't disappoint. See you next chapter!_


	4. Chapter 4

Time seemed to not matter any more. She could have sat out there for minutes or months and it didn't make a difference, one thing remained the same; that closed window. She was caught between breaking in and getting Bella up to speak to her, or just waiting it out, going with her original plan of ringing the bell when she woke up.

She watched the girl thoughtfully as the young human shifted in her sleep to face the window, her eyebrows were scrunched and there was a crease forming between them. That's when Alice made her decision, she couldn't just wait and let the girl suffer longer. She had to explain herself and hopefully be forgiven.

Carefully she approached the window and let out a breathy laugh as she saw, even though it was closed, it was unlocked. Gently lifting the glass, she slid into the room, almost sitting on the bed before remembering that she was probably soaked through due to the rain, so she stood and placed a delicate hand on Bella's cheek.

Immediately the girl gasped and flinched away from the touch, recoiling as if there was something vile in front of her, squinting her eyes in an almost angry fashion.

"Leave."

Alice felt her heart drop. There was a certainty in the girls voice and she stared at the girl on the bed, bewildered.

"Bella, no. I only went hunting." She reached an arm out only to have the girl once again move out of her reach. "Please." Her eyes were begging, but the girl simply shook her head.

"I can't… Please just go." Her eyes turned away as she looked at the wall on the other side of the room. She looked more sad then any vision Alice had ever seen, and she felt a painful tug at her heart upon realizing this.

"No." She whispered. "I wont leave you again. I _can't_ leave you again." She once again reached out, only to have her hand swatted away. In shock, she looked at her friend and saw a fire in her eyes. A mixture of concern and hope filled Alice's heart.

"You _can't_ leave me." She repeated, but Alice wasn't fooled by her empty voice. It was too harsh to be truly gone as Bella had been earlier, but it was that edge to her voice that had her so worried.

"No, Bella, I can't and won't leave you." She moved a piece of dripping hair out of her face and gave the girl a pleading look.

"That's bull and you know it." The smaller girl took a moment and stepped back at hearing those words, but remembering what Jasper said, she waited, knowing that the girl wasn't done speaking.

"You can't leave." She sat up and looked directly at the small woman that had eventually decided to take a seat on the edge of her bed. "Weird, because you seemed perfectly capable before now." Her voice was steadily rising and growing in anger.

"Do you honestly think this is all about you? That you can come in and out of my life on a whim, after everything I've been through? Do you think for one single moment that this is honestly what's best for me?" Alice was looking rightfully ashamed, but Bella isn't done. Her voice was rising in anger and Alice was starting to become frightened.

"I thought I was crazy! Hell, I still might be. Why would a rational person truly believe that you're here, after months of trying to contact you?" This is where the tears came back, but she wiped them away to continue. "I was ready to check myself in to a psych ward, I was going to _hospitalize_ myself. Do you realize how insane I would sound? You're a VAMPIRE, Alice! I have _vampires_ coming in and out of my life, sneaking into my window at night, trying to tell me everything can be normal. There hasn't been a normal for you in over a century! How would you expect me to fall in synch with your supernatural life right away?"

Alice almost cut in here, wanting to defend her family, her _species_ , before realizing that Bella was right. She couldn't name a single vampire that was friends with a human, probably for this very reason. They were fragile, they were emotional, their concept of time paled in comparison to her own. As far as everyone was concerned, humans were either trouble, or food.

But here she was, with a human, feeling like this girl before her was the most important thing in the world.

"You left me. You _left_ me. You knew how much it would hurt, you were willing to take a chance and gamble with my life, my SANITY, Alice!" She placed her hand over her mouth in an attempt to quiet her sobs, trying not to wake her father. After a few moments she finally calmed and began to speak in a small, broken, whisper.

"I wrote to you every single day. I waited for weeks just to hear from you. I had to drive by your house just to prove to myself that it was real, that _you_ were real."

Finally she pulled herself together and asked the question that had been on her mind all evening.

"Why did you come back?" She whispered, meeting those deep golden eyes with so much heartbreak on her face, Alice thought she could feel her own heart ache for the first time since being human.

She readjusted her position, trying to be subtle as she shortened the gap between them.

"Bella, you have to know I didn't want this. I never wanted to leave you but he said it would be healthier for you." At this Bella let out a snort, but didn't say anything to contradict her companions words, so the smaller girl continued. "I had no idea that you would be this hurt. I thought we were saving you, giving you your human life back." She looked down at her hands and grew quiet. "I didn't want you to regret not living. We didn't have a choice, and because of that, we tried to take yours away from you." She reached, slowly this time, and was allowed to take the other girls hand in her own.

"Bella, my sweet, sad, human, Bella. You are far more important than we've made you feel, and as long as I live, I will never be able to take that back." She looked into her chocolate eyes and rubbed her thumb lightly over her warm fingers as she spoke. "Please know how sorry I am. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I could not leave with you not knowing how much you mean to me, and how much it hurt when I left." She looked close to tears and Bella was starting to calm down.

"Lie down. Close your eyes." Bella said, with an almost expressionless face, and immediately the order was followed. Alice was worried that Bella was going to get hurt if she tried to hit her, but stayed still, because whatever the young girl needed at this moment, she would not deny her.

Her eyes flew open however when she felt a warm body curl up against hers, pulling cold arms around a delightfully soft body.

"I don't want you to think that I'm okay, because I'm not." Alice nodded, knowing that they were a long way away from okay. She heard the small human begin to whisper against her shoulder. "I just can't lose you again." Alice felt a wet tear hit her skin.

"You wont lose me. Ever. As long as you want me around, I will be here." She lightly tightened her arms around the girl and pressed her lips to the top of her head. "I promise I wont ever put you through this again."

Feeling those warm arms wrap around her as the young girl faded into sleep, Alice felt guilty, because even after everything that had happened that night, this was the happiest she had ever been.


	5. Chapter 5

Mornings like these seem to be the kind that nobody wants to talk about. In the calm, cool light of day, everything seems to be put back into perspective. Nothing breeds hesitance than the idea that your bed partner is regretting ever seeing you. What if it was a joke? Or a dream? Maybe you'd died and this was purgatory. Whatever it was, the girl hesitates to turn over and see her friend, who she knew was awake, even at this hour of the morning. Before she could be a coward and go back to sleep, she hears a small voice come from behind her.

"I know you're awake."

She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the ring of the words wash over her before replying.

"Is that so?" She whispered, barely loud enough for her own ears., but sure enough, it was heard by her companion.

"It is." Her smile was audible, even in the simple reply.

There was silence once again, stretching on for over an hour while they heard Charlie getting ready to go on a fishing trip. They stayed quiet as they knew he would pop in before he left.

Sure enough, they heard a soft knock and Her dads voice whisper through the door.

"Bells, I'm leaving now, are you awake?"

As she turned around she saw Alice give a small wave before hiding in the closet, and smiled at the ridiculous sight.

"Yeah, dad, I'm up. Come on in." She pulled the blankets around her as he walked in.

After a brief moment , he sat on the bed, seeming to find his words "I'm worried about leaving you alone." He said, always a straightforward man. "You haven't been yourself, and I don't know if I should be letting you stay here on your own."

She sighed, knowing this conversation was going to happen eventually. It was an unfortunate coincidence seeing as there was a cause of her problem hiding not ten feet away.

"I know I've been… weird... lately, but I promise I'll be okay." He seemed unconvinced, but she continued. "I feel like everything changed at once, and I'm sorry. I'll try to do better."

Grinning, he leaned in a hugged her. "We'll be okay, Bells." She reluctantly smiled as she hugged back then watched him walk out the door.

"That was sweet." A high voice chimed when she turned back to face her room. "I'm sorry if I intruded on the moment."

"Don't worry about it." She sighed , sitting on the other side of the bed. "Most of our relationship involves me simplifying emotion for him and him being tough for me. I wouldn't be surprised if it was out of his head already." She felt the bed shift as suddenly arms were wrapped around her from behind and a voice was an inch from her ear.

"Oh, Bella," A cool cheek pressed against her neck. "You underestimate how much you're loved." The cold breath on her neck made goosebumps spring up all over her body and Bella inhaled sharply at the sensation. She could feel her heartrate picking up and found herself wondering if all vampires provoked this response, or if it was just the lovely pixie behind her.

Turning her head , she stared into golden eyes, only inches from her own. They were so open and loving, they were intoxicating. She quickly realized how close they were and blushed, backing away slightly. They both felt like the environment had changed and could feel energy in the air, but neither of them had the words to express it.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Alice spoke.

"So what's the plan for today?" and with that, they were back. The air was cleared of whatever fog had overcome them and they both let out small breaths.

"I have some schoolwork that's been neglected, I was thinking about catching up on that this afternoon." She admitted, knowing it was days worth that had been cast aside. "What.. What are you going to do ?" The fear that Alice would decide to leave was growing in her, but she forced it down as she waited for the response.

"I'd like to get a jump on some cleaning today, dust off a few things around the old house, you're more than welcome to bring your homework and join me if you'd like." The smile on Bella's face was answer enough.

…

Homework seemed to take almost no time, especially considering she had someone who could hear and answer her questions no matter where she was in the house, even over the cheery tunes the pixie had put on. Pretty soon Bella had nothing else to finish and was now on the couch watching her friend carefully dust every surface in the living room with a grace and speed she didn't think was possible. She took the opportunity to observe the other girl. She hadn't changed in the months she'd been away, and it was almost unsettling how quickly she had become readjusted to having her around. They both seemed to fit into each others lives like a puzzle.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Alice turned around and gave a small smile, turning the music down as she flopped down next to the human.

"Whew!" She wiped imaginary sweat from her brow and threw an impish grin towards her friend. "Let me tell you, I'm never letting it get that bad again!" Bella smiled and moved the books that were between them and began to pick at her nail polish.

"Well, then you probably shouldn't be gone so long next time." She said quietly, but she knew the other girl could hear her perfectly. This seemed to sober the mood a bit and Alice scooted closer on the large couch.

"Bella, I will say it every day until you believe it, I'm not going anywhere." She then surprised Bella by flipping to her back so there was a comfy human pillow under her head. "Besides, if you get tired of me, there's sunlight, a wooden stake, garlic, a silver bullet…"

Bella giggled and ran her fingers through the hair that was spiked up over her thigh. "I think that last one is werewolves."

"Well, in that case, we'll keep that idea in storage for now." She winked before snatching Bella's left hand and pressing the palm to her cheek. "You're so warm and lovely. How on Earth could I leave? It was hard enough the first time."

Bella smiled and ran a thumb over a flawless cheek, deciding that being stuck with this vampire for life wasn't a horrible idea, before Alice spoke again.

"Besides, Jasper really misses the weather, something about being outdoors more." She laughed, and Bella forced a smile, but she felt as if a bucket of ice water was dumped on her.

Jasper. She didn't know if it was the aftermath of her birthday, but something was telling her that she didn't want her best friend to go back to him, and that idea confused her for the rest of the afternoon.


	6. Chapter 6

"Do you have any idea when my dad's getting back? I forgot to ask before." They were lying on Alice's couch planning their shopping day, the vampire, once again, had her head on the lap of her companion.

"Friday around seven." She replied, as she mindlessly surfed the internet for Seattle stores. Bella nodded knowing that the prediction was almost guaranteed to be correct. "You also might want to put some towels down before he gets back," She added. "he'll be muddy, and I am NOT helping clean that mess." The body under her shook with laughter and it was clearly contagious.

"Honestly, I have no idea how he survived before me." The brunette said after catching her breath. "If I wasn't there, I doubt he'd be able to work the microwave without burning something."

"Remember the spoon? I think if I wasn't faster than everything on earth, your house would be in flames." The girls laughed until Bella had tears in her eyes . These were the moments she had missed the most after they all had left. Sitting, talking, being able to connect with someone for the first time, no secrets, just honesty. She knew that they had meant well when they left, but how could they expect her to be human when she hasn't felt human in ages. She knew where she belonged, and right now it was here, in this moment, with this vampire.

"Hey, Alice…"

"Yes?"

Bella stopped, thinking about how to say what was on her mind. She really didn't have the words in the moment, all she knew was, it felt like for the first time, she was truly home. She couldn't say why, but Edward being gone didn't seem to matter as long as she had this girl by her side. She knew Alice wouldn't let anything or anyone hurt her, and if she had the chance, she would protect this tiny vampire as well. He whole heart was dedicated to this girl, the only one who remembered her, the only one that cared enough to come back for her. She knew in that moment that something was different. She didn't know exactly what it was, but there was a shift inside of her.

Bella couldn't say any of it. She didn't know how.

"Bella? You alright?" Alice asked, sitting up, concern etched over her face.

"Yeah." She sharply exhaled in an almost-laugh, and worked to pull her thoughts together. It wouldn't help anything if she said what was on her mind.

"I was just thinking we could stop at the book shop on our way out of town. My copy of Pride and Prejudice got ruined in the rain."

"I remember." Alice said thoughtfully. "Just a sec, I'll be right back." Quickly, before Bella could even sit up properly, she was back, holding out a book to her friend.

"It's the least I could do." She smiled as Bella examined the leather-bound book. It was the most amazing thing she had ever been given. "it's yours if you'd like, I mean, I have the darn thing memorized so It only makes sense-"

She was cut off when two arms were thrown around her neck. She immediately returned the gesture, holding the warm human to her as if she was her last breath. Alice knew that something had changed too, but for a moment, she was at a loss as to what it was. It hit her then, when she heard Bella's whispered thanks, and felt her warn breath on her ear. Immediately she snapped back and stared at the girl, holding her at arms length. She surveyed her face, every freckle, every hair, every curve of her lips, and god, she knew.

"Isabella…" She whispered, trying to bring herself back, to undo the realization that had hit her like a brick.

"I have to go hunting before we leave." She knew the human could see straight through her lie, but she wasn't called out on it. Instead, she received a brief nod and before she knew it, she was outside, half a mile away trying to gather her thoughts.

She didn't return until sundown.

…

Bella knew something was wrong after watching the sun set with no sign of her friend, but she also knew that the older girl would come back, at this point her faith in that girl was greater than her fear. She just wished Alice would come back already so they could move on from whatever had taken hold of them. Tears came to her eyes as she realized that, yet again, she was stuck, confused and heartbroken, waiting on another vampire.

"I'm sorry I keep hurting you." The voice startled her out of her thoughts and she sat up from the couch where Alice had left her. "I'm also sorry I was gone so long, I had to make a few calls, but I guess the boys are doing another 'no tech' trip again." She sat next to the brunette and gave a weak smile.

Bella looked at her friend and sighed. "We can't keep doing this, Alice. We need to talk about things instead of running off."

"I know I acted like a coward, but I'm here, and even if I run off please know I'll always come back to you." Somehow they were now only a foot apart, but neither of them realized how they each subtly tried to get nearer to the other.

"Why?" Bella whispered. "Why should I expect you to drop everything for me? It was selfish for me to think that you had to stay here with me." She looked down at her hands as she gathered the courage to say the next words. "I want you to go back. Go back to your family, Alice, I'll be fine without you, I know that now."

"No." The word was fierce, and didn't sound like anything that Alice had said to her before. "I've said it a million times, Bella, I won't leave you, ever." She moved the last inch so that now their thighs were touching and she took the girls face in her hands. "You make me happy." She whispered. "You are something I could never give up, not in a thousand years, and I'm sorry I never realized…"

Bella's heart was running wild, and she was sure that her face was red from the words she was hearing, but she was determined not to back down, not this time.

"Never realized what?" She whispered back to the small girl beside her.

Alice was close now, closer than any friend should logically be, and Bella's mind had stopped forming complete thoughts at this point. She noticed Alice look at her lips before she ran her thumb over her bottom one, removing it from her nervous bite. Her face was only inches away now.

"Bella…" Alice whispered and she made the decision, she closed the distance between them.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N**

 **Sorry I went AWOL, I took time away from a lot of things this past year, but now I have a healthy baby boy and a good career! Thanks for sticking with me ! It's a very short chapter , but I figured I'd have to start somewhere .**

RING!

The sound snapped both of them back a few inches, startled by the interruption.

Bella could feel the cool breath against her lips fade away before she stared into golden eyes, mouth slightly parted in a shocked expression. She could feel her heart trying to burst out of her chest as she tried to calm her breathing. She didn't know what had just happened, or, not happened, but she felt the icy wave of disappointment rush through her in an instant.

With an almost agonizing slowness, Alice removed her hands from the other girls face and turned to the phone that was buzzing on the coffee table, wanting nothing more than to throw it across the room.

-Jasper Calling-

Bella had read the screen as well and gave Alice the slightest nod before the vampire reached out to pick it up.

"Hey Jazz, How's the trip?"

"Hey Doll, I'll tell ya, I've missed the south, even the animals seem friendlier here."

The volume was up and Bella could hear his excited tone, she had never seen this side of him before. She assumed it was because while she was around, he was too busy trying not to kill her to let loose in any sense, but now she could see why everyone was so fond of him.

"That's great, hun. Emmett had better be behaving himself, if he gets you two into trouble…"

"I know, he can be a handful, but we're avoiding any cities on this run. … Speaking of trouble, how's the human handling things?"

She looked apologetically at Bella before continuing .

"She has a name, Jasper." She chided lightly.

"Oh, hun, you can't name her, then we'll have to keep her."

Bella rolled her eyes at this, thinking of herself as their 'pet human' wasn't too pleasant of a thought, although it sort of hit the nail on the head as far as how she felt.

"Well, I'm attached so she's sticking around." Alice said with a finality that everyone knew would not be questioned.

"Whatever you say, dear."

"She's doing well, at least, better than I've seen her in ages. I actually convinced her to let me take her shopping tomorrow!"

He laughed and Bella reluctantly admitted to herself that the sound was pleasant. She tried to pretend that the sound wasn't going to be stuck in her head for ages.

"Poor human." The smile in his voice was evident. "Just make sure you give her a break once in a while, Her and I probably have the same tolerance for shopping…"

She rolled her eyes as they wrapped up the conversation and said their goodbyes. Bella, meanwhile, was thinking too hard about how simple that interaction was. It seemed easy, natural, and something inside her was screaming that she didn't belong here, interrupting their prefect life with her human drama. There was no other way to phrase it, Bella felt wildly inadequate.

Alice looked at her friend and thought about the weird situation they were in. This was a predicament which required a next step that wouldn't ruin the progress Bella had been making. She ended the call and looked over at the brunette who was deep in thought.

"Bella?"

The girls head snapped up and she looked Alice in the eyes. "Alice?"

"Are you hungry ?" She asked, almost too innocently. Bella's eyes narrowed for a moment, as if trying to process what she had been asked, before a large grin took over her face.

"I'm starving, actually." And with that, the fog had cleared and both girls let out gentle laughs.

"Well I doubt there are many groceries left here, so I'll order a pizza and you pick out a movie. It's probably too late to go anywhere, but tomorrow, expect no mercy !" She winked at the human as she picked up her phone to order. "Extra cheese, right?"

Bella laughed as she stood to pick up the remote. "You vampires remember everything, honestly."

The night carried on much like the day had started , a small vampire curled up with her head on the human's lap.

As Bella faded into sleep, her last thought was how silly it was that this was as peaceful as she'd ever felt.


End file.
